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Sloane’s throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. “We wouldn’t have found that tape if you hadn’t been a relentless little lemur,” she said, glancing over at her.

Holding her gaze, Ari smiled. “And what does that make you, huh?”

Sloane pretended to think, but her sights were so intent on Ari’s face she was sure it was just for show. “Something elegant. Maybe a crane or something.”

The elevators doors parted just as Ari let out a bark of laughter. “Oh really, that’s how you fancy yourself?”

Sloane shrugged as she held the doors open and waited for Ari to walk out first. “I mean. I think it fits, don’t you?”

“I don’t know,” she replied, opening the door with her access card and holding it for Sloane. “You strike me as something that would eat its own young. Maybe like a shark or a wasp or something.”

Sloane chuckled instead of snapping back. “God. I do not feel like driving home now. You know, in my old firm there were couches in just about every o ce. I can’t tell you how many nights I slept there instead of shlepping all the way home just to be back in a few hours,” she said as they rolled through the silent and empty o ce.

“That’s incredibly sad,” Ari decided as they turned down their hallway.

“Sloane! Ari!” Chad called from behind them, nearly scaring them to death.

“Jesus!” Sloane shrieked, spinning around and dropping the handle to her rolling case, sending files spilling out onto the thin, gray carpet.

“I’m so sorry,” he replied, his fair face flushed deep red as he ran toward them and helped them pick up the mess. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I got a call that something

happened in court. You didn’t text me to let me know the jury came back with the verdict.”

“That’s my fault,” Ari replied. “We’d been waiting so long that when we got the call, we just bolted out of here.

I’m sorry. I was supposed to let you know,” she explained, saying nothing of Sloane’s amnesia inducing touch.

“No need to apologize,” he replied gently, standing with his hands full of messy paper. “I just feel terrible that I wasn’t there with you. What the hell happened?”

As they recounted the events, Chad followed them to their o ce. He listened as they put their things away in piles so there would be room to work on their other cases in the morni

ng.

After assuring him for the tenth time that they were okay, he started to leave. “Come in late tomorrow, okay? I don’t want either of you burning out too early. If I see you here before lunch, I’ll fire you,” he added jokingly.

When they agreed, he walked out before popping his head right back in. “Oh, and since you’re going to miss the sta meeting in the morning, I’ll just tell you now. Juvenile finally needs more bodies, so everyone will get their own o ces starting tomorrow.” He smiled. “Great news after a tough day, right?”

Ari stared at him, unable to process what he said.

“Which one of us is moving?” Sloane asked, her tone sharp.

Chad pulled a coin out of his pocket. “Heads or tails,” he asked with the silver piece balancing on his thumb and ready to flip through the air.

Sloane gave him the withering look Ari knew so well.

“Heads,” Ari managed, desperate to escape the awkward silence.

“Okay,” he replied before tossing the coin and catching it.

“Heads it is. Looks like Ari stays, and Sloane moves. I’ll send you an email tomorrow with your new assignment.”

When he was gone, he left the cold silence he’d created behind.

“We better get going,” Sloane said dryly. “It’s not like this mess won’t be here waiting for us when we get back.”

Ari nodded. It would be here tomorrow, but only for a little while. Then, it would be gone, just like Sloane.

CHAPTER 31